


Neither — Both

by Malkuthe



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 19:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14940159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malkuthe/pseuds/Malkuthe
Summary: The two of them slip into a comfortable silence. This is… new. But it’s also familiar. Keith looks at Shiro and notices that he’s looking back. He smiles. Shiro smiles. “I’m glad you’re back,” says Keith.“I know…” says Shiro, “It’s only the thousandth time you’ve said it…” Shiro chuckles. There’s a pregnant pause. “Thank you for finding me, Keith.”“I’ll always find you,” says Keith. He sucks in a sharp breath when he feels the weight of Shiro’s head on his shoulder and the cool metal of the stump of Shiro’s arm resting against his skin. “No matter what it takes. However many times it takes.”





	Neither — Both

**Author's Note:**

> Not quite the speed of my other work... but I have _emotions_ that need catharsis right now.

“He’s too adorable for his own good, you know,” says Shiro, looking up at the hiss of the door opening. Keith’s cosmic wolf has its head on his lap, and he is idly stroking its luscious mane. His fingers comb through the locks of fur in a way that makes Keith’s head itch. Maybe he was just a _little_ jealous. “I can’t believe you haven’t managed to spoil him, yet.”

“Careful,” says Keith, a small smile playing on his lips as he walks over. He gets down on his knees next to Shiro, playfully rubbing the wolf’s stomach. “Your softie is showing.”

Shiro laughs. It’s a sound that Keith has missed. It makes him feel warm inside. His only regret is that he’s spent most of the last couple of days in Black’s cockpit, watching the stars whiz past while Shiro recovered.

But Earth is a long way away, still. Even if they _are_ making good time. Keith adjusts his position and sits on the floor. He glances at Shiro, trying not to be too conspicuous about it. The new hair is taking some getting used to, but it’s not like him to let something as inconsequential get in his way.

“Oh,” Keith adds, after a minute of silence. “If _you_ spoil him, he’s _your_ problem, got it?” he says, nudging Shiro in the ribs.

“Got it, sir,” says Shiro, chuckling.

The two of them slip into a comfortable silence. This is… new. But it’s also familiar. Keith looks at Shiro and notices that he’s looking back. He smiles. Shiro smiles. “I’m glad you’re back,” says Keith.

“I know…” says Shiro, “It’s only the thousandth time you’ve said it…” Shiro chuckles. There’s a pregnant pause. “Thank you for finding me, Keith.”

“I’ll always find you,” says Keith. He sucks in a sharp breath when he feels the weight of Shiro’s head on his shoulder and the cool metal of the stump of Shiro’s arm resting against his skin. “No matter what it takes. However many times it takes.”

They’re quiet again for a few minutes. Not that the wolf seems to mind all that much, luxuriating in all the attention. Keith is just glad to have this time to themselves. It’s Shiro that breaks the silence this time. “So, what is it? Brothers? Lovers?”

Keith blinks. There goes his serenity. He feels the blood creep into his face, the heat flush across his cheeks. The tips of his ears feel like they’re going to burst into flames. “W-What?” Keith stammers. He had… _assumed_ that Shiro wouldn’t remember anything of what happened back there, but…

Now that he thinks about it, it makes sense that Shiro has the clone’s memories, too, since he’s now in the clone’s body. “When we were fighting,” says Shiro. “When I…” he trails off, his voice heavy. “When _it_ tried to kill you… That isn’t how you say ‘I love you’ to someone who’s basically family to you. So… I’m a bit confused.”

“Shiro, I was…” Keith pauses. There is no way to deny this gracefully, nor did he really feel inclined to deny it. But he didn’t feel ready to answer the question. “Why are you asking this?” he deflects.

Shiro seems to take the bait. “I was dead, Keith,” he says. “That gives you a new perspective on things, you know. It makes you realize how short life really is… How meaningless some things are.”

Keith swallows audibly. He feels Shiro look up at him. He can’t bring himself to look at Shiro. “I don’t want to do this anymore, Keith. No more dancing around. I know. You’re like the brother I never had, but…” Keith feels Shiro’s hand on his knee, and hears the disgruntled huff of the wolf. “I need… I need to know if you feel the same way I do.”

“Brother!” says Keith, maybe a bit louder than he wants. Then, a few moments later. “Lover! Neither! I don’t know!” The wolf gets up and pads to him, tilting its head curiously at the frown on his face. He gets a lick across the cheek for his troubles.

“Why can’t we be both?”

The question rings in the room. It hangs in the air. Lingers longer than it should.

“We can,” says Shiro. Keith looks at him. He tries to tamp down the hope that soars in his chest. “Keith…” Shiro says, softly, as he wraps his fingers around Keith’s chin and tilts Keith’s head back ever so slightly. Their lips meet and the world seems to shrink into that single point of contact, that single moment in time.

It’s brief, but it feels like an eternity. Keith opens his eyes, having not realized he’d closed them. He looks into Shiro’s as they part, breathless.

“I love you, too,” says Shiro.


End file.
